vast importance in the practice of medicine, and belong as much to the homœopathic school as they do to any other. Now it is not only clearly the province, but the duty of every homœopathic physician to be familiar with and put in practice every branch of medical science; and yet it is only in the latter (special therapeutics or the administration of medicine) that the question of homoeopathy is involved, and it is both a duty and a pleasure to practice in accordance with the principles professed. I believe that I but speak your own sentiments when I declare that in the field of special therapeutics, that is, where internal remedies are applicable, our faith in the homoeopathic law is undiminished. Each day's experience confirms us in the belief that it is nature's law of remedial action. While we have inscribed homœopathy on our banner, and adopted for our guide the law similia similibus curantur in the selection of our remedies, we exclude nothing, but embrace everything, claiming the right of every physician to employ what in his judgment and experience is the very best means to relieve and cure his patients. We accept the teachings of Hahnemann only so far as our experience and observation have proved them to be correct, and reject whatever investigation has shown to be erroneous. His untenable hypotheses form no part of the great truths implied in the comprehensive word HOMEOPATHY, which enlists every principle in the wide range of medical science, and every fact in the broad realm of observation and experience. And finally, the American Institute of Homoeopathy is a medical republic, national in its character, scientific in its objects, and representative in its membership. It is composed of physicians from all parts of the United States, and admits to its councils accredited delegates from all state and local medical societies, medical institutions, hospitals, asylums, dispensaries, and medical journals conducted in the interest of homœopathic therapeutics and other departments of medical science. It claims for itself absolute liberty in every department of knowledge which pertains to medical science and art. All that is required of candidates for membership is satisfactory evidence that the applicant has pursued a regular course of medical studies, according to the requirements of existing institutions of this coun try, backed by a good moral character and professional standing. No creed or confession of belief is required of its members, further than the tacit consent given by becoming a member, to advance its objects, and to comply with its established code of medical ethics, which neither enjoins nor forbids anything touching the practice of medicine, but leaves to the physician unrestricted liberty in the uncertain matters of medical opinion and practice. All engrafted side issues or favorite theories concerning matters of secondary importance are left to the individual, recognizing only the vital fact that we should be true physicians. Should emergencies arise which seem to us to demand a departure from the possible limitations of the homœopathic law, owing either to the imperfect state of the Materia Medica, or our limited knowledge of it, we should do it openly, honestly, and fearlessly, by fairly stating the case, and claiming the right to treat our patients in the way that, under the circumstances, in our judgment, best meets the case. This liberty, however, is not license. The physician who habitually prescribes large doses of quinine, or other drugs, gives opiates in alternation with a homoeopathic remedy, or administers emetics or cathartics in other than very exceptional cases, cannot be consistently regarded as a homoeopathician, whatever his pretensions. Homœopathy is essentially a curative method of treatment; where fatal disorganization is present, it can, of course, only palliate. Even in cases strictly surgical, the value of the carefully selected homoeopathic remedy can hardly be over-estimated. The size of the dose does not in any sense make the prescription homœopathic. Experience, however, has convinced all who have sufficiently investigated the subject, that when a drug is given that acts on the system in a similar manner to the disease present, or, in other words, ishomœopathic to the case, a comparatively small dose is absolutely demanded to insure a prompt curative effect without producing. an aggravation of the disease. The distinctive feature of homoopathy consists in the employment of remedies according to the law of similars. This is the true basis, the cornerstone, which constitutes the essential difference between it and all other methods of treatment. The law which guides in the selection. of the remedy is, as before stated, independent of the question. of dose of the difference between the realists, who give comparatively large doses, and of the transcendentalists, who advocate very high dilutions. It is not in the nature of things that a law explaining and connecting a series of facts can long be ignored. Never in the history of medicine in this country was there a time when the cardinal principles we advocate were so well received as now, not only by the public but by the profession. The word homeopathy is, perhaps, to many, no welcome sound, but the facts which that word expresses are received with a cordiality truly gratifying. Although the scientific practice of homeopathy is probably limited to about one-eighth of the entire medical profession of this country, it empirically pervades the entire practice of medicine. In every direction the principles we advocate are covertly incorporated into standard allopathic works, and, amid many fruitless efforts to conceal the facts, are largely taught in an empirical way in allopathic medical schools. Based on the therapeutic principles which differentiate it from all other methods of treatment, its open advocates have been professionally ostracized by the dominant school, although receiving their titles from the same authority. The old-school channels of periodical literature, societies, hospitals, and dispensaries having been closed against us, we have been compelled to establish medical schools in which to teach homœopathy, publish medical literature in elucidation of its principles, organize medical societies in its interests, and establish hospitals and dispensaries where the poor might receive the benefits of this therapeutic method; and thus have we been forced to assume, by way of distinction, a seemingly sectarian name or form. Under this ban, if ban it be, we propose to pursue the even tenor of our way, until all distinctions of schools and methods shall have been effectually ground to powder between the upper and the nether millstones of the high and the low potencies. B. W. JAMES, M.D., of Philadelphia, moved, and it was carried, that a committee of three be appointed to take into consideration certain points in the President's address, and report thereon to the Institute. DR. JAMES referred to the death of Dr. Jacob Jeanes, of Philadelphia, which had not been mentioned by the President in his address, and trusted he would make a note of it. THE GENERAL SECRETARY appointed this committee, as follows: B. W. James, M.D., Philadelphia; R. Ludlam, M.D., Chicago, Ill.; T. P. Wilson, M.D., Cincinnati, O. Dr. Ludlam declining to serve, Dr. N. F. Cooke, of Chicago, was appointed, at the suggestion of Dr. Ludlam. On motion of Dr. Thomas Moore, of Germantown, Philadelphia, a vote of thanks was tendered the President for his address. THE PRESIDENT then appointed the following AUDITING COMMITTEE. I. T. TALBOT, M.D., Boston, Mass. E. C. FRANKLIN, M.D., St. Louis, Mo. THE PRESIDENT: The report of the Committee on Publication is next in order. R. J. MCCLATCHEY, M.D., of Philadelphia, General Secretary, then presented the report of the COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION. Your Committee of Publication would report, that in conformity with the wishes of the Institute, and its action taken at the thirtieth session looking to the "speedy publication of the Transactions," the Secretary reports that he issued the Proceedings of the thirtieth session, being a volume of nearly eight hundred pages, within three months after the meeting, and mailed copies to members entitled to receive the same. Indeed, the volume was ready for the final work of the binder by the 20th of September, 1877, and the slight delay was occasioned by the failure on the part of the lithographer of Chicago who had in hand the preparation of the plates to accompany the valuable paper on Clinical Thermometry, by Professor Ludlam, of Chicago. In regard to the volumes of the Transactions of the World's Homeopathic Convention, of 1876, the Secretary reports, that while at the last session he made the statement in good faith, and with a full belief in his ability to accomplish what he purposed, that he expected to issue both volumes within the space of four months after the meeting, he was not, from a variety of causes, all of which were beyond his control, able to accomplish his purpose. These causes may be stated to have been, principally, the necessity of giving his personal and undivided attention to the getting out of the Transactions of the Chautauqua session, in the prescribed time, three months after the session; his mistaken idea as to the magnitude of the work to be accomplished, before the volumes could issue from the press in such shape and condition as would comport with the dignity of the Institute, the importance of the publication, and the character of the recent publications of this Association; and the disability of the Secretary, on account of an affection of the eyes, which prevented him applying himself to literary work as usual. The Secretary, however, reports, that having secured the services of a literary medical man to do the work under his supervision, at his own expense, while the Secretary was unable to do it himself, and having secured the services of the same person for the coming year, he is now able to state positively, that within the period of six months from the adjournment of this session, at the farthest, he will issue to all persons entitled to receive them, the two volumes of the Transactions of the World's Homœopathic Convention, in two handsomely printed and bound volumes, and the Transactions of the present session in the usual style, within three months, and that it may be possible to present the first named volumes within four months after the adjournment of the session. ROBERT J. MCCLATCHEY, General Secretary. On motion the report was accepted. THE PRESIDENT: The next business in order will be the REPORT OF THE TREASURER. E. M. KELLOGG, M.D., of New York, Treasurer, then presented his annual report, which was, on motion, referred to the Auditing Committee. F. R. MCMANUS, M.D., the Chairman of the Board of Censors, then made the following remarks: Mr. President: The Board of Censors have taken no action upon the applications for membership as yet, but the plan for the past few years has been to announce the names of all applicants, the colleges from which they graduated, and the names of those who have signed their applications, in order that any member present may have opportunity to object to any application, if he desires to do so. I consider the work conducted through the Board of Censors of paramount importance. Too much care cannot be taken in the selection of our associates, in regard to their good moral and professional standing and ability. Dr. McManus then called the attention of the Institute to the |